Our good friends & partners at Three Rings have been hard at work of late, updating Spiral Knights with new features and adding plans for more.

We’re happy to share with you a preview of another upcoming feature for Spiral Knights — Battle Sprites!

Lore

Though they’ve made Cradle their home, the Knights, we would remind you, are not from these parts — before arriving, Battle Sprites — known to the Knights as “E-Class Battle Sprites” — were originally A.I.-powered companions for the Knights, used for planetary reconnaissance.

Now, the advanced technology of the E-Class Battle Sprites has begun reacting to the strange energy emanating from the Core: as Sprites are recovered from within the Clockworks, they are found to have adapted dramatically to their various environments … improving, adding combat capabilities, and honing their resolve to support their Knight companions!

Gameplay

So how will this work in-game?

E-Class Battle Sprites are companions: think along the lines of a robotic pet who will follow you around, only if your pet could also shoot fire or improve your ability to withstand onslaughts of lasers. The Battle Sprites will evolve, level-up, and gain new skills: they can add additional firepower to your party, or help by buffing you against enemy fire.

Would You Like To Know More?

Spiral Knights has always been designed to allow groups to form ad-hoc, without worrying about specific class roles. What Battle Sprites add are the ability to further strategize — your Knight can battle how they wish, while providing a depth and character to your party with added firepower or abilities to help group synergy. And of course, for those who like venturing solo into the clockworks, you can now have a bit of extra help.

Ultimately the idea is to provide more flexibility and more customization options to gameplay. Once Battle Sprites are active within the game, a new series of rank missions will be available in Haven: these will function as tutorials to explain the three basic “starter sprites” you can choose from, ending with you adopting a Sprite of your very own!

Here’s a quick preview of the three “basic” Sprite versions you’ll be able to pick from:

Drakon: The snarling little dragon of a bot does what dragons do — sets things on fire. Sets all the things on fire. If you favor head-on hand-to-hand combat, or you’re just a fan of the aforementioned fire, this is the Battle Sprite for you.

Seraphynx: Graceful, feline, and mercurial — and an invaluable asset to any group! The Seraphynx is there to buff & assist, adding flexibility and defense to any journey into the clockworks.

Maskeraith: Just look at those glowing, calculating eyes — it should be immediately clear that Maskeraith is here help Knights who prefer to engage in the arts of subtly, sabotage, and crippling enemies from a distance — this alien looking bot can curse and cripple foes to allow their Knight to deliver the killing blow!

I want one! When Can I have one?

Battle Sprites are currently in development — being re-calibrated and tested following their recovery from within the Clockworks — and should be available during the first half of this year. Stay tuned for more information!

There is a lot more on the way for Spiral Knights, as well … as with Guild Halls, Battle Sprites were a response to suggestions and feedback from the Spiral Knights community. Stay tuned for more, and we’ll continue to give you sneak peeks at what’s being worked on!